RISE: Russian Manafort client willing to speak to Congress

Wednesday

Oleg Deripaska willing to speak about his relationship with Manafort, three storm chasers killed, Goodell headed to Foxborough, and more headlines for your morning, Wednesday, March 29, 2017.

WASHINGTON — A Russian billionaire close to President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday he is willing to take part in U.S. congressional hearings to discuss his past business relationship with President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort.

Last week, The Associated Press reported that Manafort had written aluminum magnate Oleg Deripaska in 2005, proposing to do work for Deripaska that would "benefit the Putin Government." The story was based on interviews with people familiar with Deripaska's business dealings with Manafort and documents obtained by the AP, including strategy memoranda, contracts and records showing international wire transfers for millions of dollars.

3 STORM CHASERS KILLED IN CRASH DURING STORMS

SPUR, Texas — Three storm chasers were killed when their vehicles collided at a rural crossroads during severe West Texas storms on Tuesday.

The storms spawned multiple funnel clouds and an occasional tornado in open areas of West Texas on Tuesday afternoon. No damage was reported.

US DENIES LOOSENING RULES FOR AVOIDING CIVILIAN CASUALTIES

BAGHDAD — U.S. airstrikes probably played a role in the deaths of dozens of civilians in Mosul earlier this month, U.S. and Iraqi military officials acknowledged Tuesday, but they denied the rules for avoiding civilian casualties have been loosened despite a recent spike in civilian casualties.

Speaking from Baghdad to reporters at the Pentagon, the top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said an ongoing investigation may reveal a more complicated explanation for the March 17 explosion that residents say killed at least 100 people, including the possibility that Islamic State militants rigged the building with explosives after forcing civilians inside.

HOUSE VOTES TO BLOCK OBAMA-ERA ONLINE PRIVACY RULE

WASHINGTON — The House voted Tuesday to block online privacy regulations issued during the final months of the Obama administration, a first step toward allowing internet providers such as Comcast, AT&T and Verizon to sell the browsing habits of their customers.

The Federal Communications Commission rule was designed to give consumers greater control over how internet service providers share information. But critics said the rule would have added costs, stifled innovation and picked winners and losers among Internet companies.